Corona and sumo

[Akinomaki 40,034]

On 30/11/2021 at 09:29, Kintamayama said:

The YDC are demanding that degeiko be allowed again. "The runnerups to Terunofuji mostly did not look good. For them to look better and be more competitive and really challenge him, degeiko needs to be  allowed immediately. It's the only way other top rikishi can better themselves, is what I'm hearing," said chairman Yano. Hakkaku rijicho said he is consulting with experts and will then decide.

Shibatayama after the rijikai today spoke to the press and was very critical about allowing degeiko again, with the new strain around: "There is talk by the doctors concerned with infections that it is extremely difficult."

On 25/11/2021 at 14:47, Akinomaki said:

As of day 13, eating out with supporters is allowed again, if the shisho has given the approval

On 28/11/2021 at 18:32, Akinomaki said:

If the shisho decides that it is possible, visiting asa-geiko is allowed from tomorrow till the 12th next month.

The relaxations to go out etc. till Dec. 12th may be revoked as well, if things get worse. All heya have received a notice yesterday, demanding thoroughness of infection prevention.

http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOKC02BRV0S1A201C2000000/

Edited December 2, 2021 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,034]

6 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

March will be held in Osaka. 75% capacity to be allowed.

75% in Osaka means about 5500 spectators. 4 person masu-seki will again be for 2 persons, but all ringside tamari-seki and all chair seats will be used - or not

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20211202/k10013371741000.html

[Kintamayama 44,639]

The Sumo Museum at the Kokugikan will reopen in January after two years. The theme- 69th Yokozuna Hakuhou Shou. Much paraphernalia. 

[Kaminariyuki 498]

On 28/11/2021 at 10:32, Akinomaki said:

If the shisho decides that it is possible, visiting asa-geiko is allowed from tomorrow till the 12th next month. http://www.sankei.com/article/20211128-D25Q5OPSDRP63PISPOKGIHMDGI/

Wow, this is amazing. Gives one hope. Has this occurred and folks are actually visiting hyenas for asageiko?

[Sakura 1,480]

1 hour ago, Kaminariyuki said:

Wow, this is amazing. Gives one hope. Has this occurred and folks are actually visiting hyenas for asageiko?

If only I was good at finding pictures, I'd post a scene from the Lion King.

[sumojoann 1,262]

2 hours ago, Kaminariyuki said:

Wow, this is amazing. Gives one hope. Has this occurred and folks are actually visiting hyenas for asageiko?

I think this is the second time spell-check has mugged you for the same word! lol

[Kaminariyuki 498]

On 10/12/2021 at 14:56, sumojoann said:

I think this is the second time spell-check has mugged you for the same word! lol

Yes, the hyena heyas. At least the second time...

[Kaminariyuki 498]

On 10/12/2021 at 14:02, Sakura said:

If only I was good at finding pictures, I'd post a scene from the Lion King.

Funny thing is auto-correct didn't bother asageiko at all. I guess it just didn't know where to go.

[Naganoyama 5,879]

Isegahama of course!

[Akinomaki 40,034]

All NSK people were tested negative at the PCR tests today. No other such test is planned for now, if someone complains of bad health, he will be tested. https://www.sanspo.com/article/20211225-VMYMLSURLVJ25FTANAH5LPAF7Q/

The Corona thread dropped down to page 2 of the subforum, nearly no post for 2 weeks - a good omen?

[rhyen 1,823]

1 hour ago, Akinomaki said:

All NSK people were tested negative at the PCR tests today. No other such test is planned for now, if someone complains of bad health, he will be tested. https://www.sanspo.com/article/20211225-VMYMLSURLVJ25FTANAH5LPAF7Q/

The Corona thread dropped down to page 2 of the subforum, nearly no post for 2 weeks - a good omen?

Calm before the storm, Tokyo already has local community transmission of the omicron variant linked to the emperor cup football match.

Singapore reported 448 cases, 76 of which are local community transmission.

Just a question of speed in the screening and tracking processes. 

[Inside Sport Japan 762]

Taganoura oyakata has tested positive for Covid-19. All members of the stable including Takayasu are absent for the January tournament.

 

Two lower division wrestlers also tested positive. As yet there is no information on which strain of the virus it is.

Edited January 4, 2022 by Inside Sport Japan

[Seiyashi 4,072]

3 hours ago, Inside Sport Japan said:

All members of the stable including Takayasu are absent for the January tournament.

Purely hypothetical question (for now, hopefully), but I wonder how the NSK would handle a case where COVID kyujo is forced upon a rikishi on an ozeki/yokozuna run. Will the kyujo be ignored or will it reset the run?

Edited January 4, 2022 by Seiyashi

[Kotogouryuu 127]

3 hours ago, Seiyashi said:

Purely hypothetical question (for now, hopefully), but I wonder how the NSK would handle a case where COVID kyujo is forced upon a rikishi on an ozeki/yokozuna run. Will the kyujo be ignored or will it reset the run? 

Just a guess: Something in between. Probably not a full reset, but they'd have to be impressive in their next outing.

[Kintamayama 44,639]

Nishikido beya out of Hatsu. Some official caught it, everyone out, including Mitoryuu.

[Kamitsuumi 389]

14 hours ago, Kintamayama said:

Nishikido beya out of Hatsu. Some official caught it, everyone out, including Mitoryuu.

The okamisan, soprano Yukiko Ono, tested positive.

[Kintamayama 44,639]

9 minutes ago, Kamitsuumi said:

The okamisan, soprano Yukiko Ono, tested positive.

O, no!!

[Akinomaki 40,034]

23 minutes ago, Kamitsuumi said:

The okamisan, soprano Yukiko Ono, tested positive.

She revealed it on her blog. The oyakata as a person in close contact tested negative. https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2022/01/10/kiji/20220109s00005000623000c.html

I first thought outside activity was responsible for the heya kyujo, but Nishikido and Mitoryu didn't get it at this (outdoor) event on the 21st, a traditional mochi pounding event for kids https://www.townnews.co.jp/0101/2022/01/06/607215.html

and those who recently played sumo with kids didn't get it it either.

The relaxed rules were not the reason for this kyujo, but maybe for the Tagonoura case -  was the oyakata perhaps going out with his girlfriend?

[Nantonoyama 247]

2 hours ago, Akinomaki said:

I first thought outside activity was responsible for the heya kyujo, but Nishikido and Mitoryu didn't get it at this (outdoor) event on the 21st, a traditional mochi pounding event for kids https://www.townnews.co.jp/0101/2022/01/06/607215.html

and those who recently played sumo with kids didn't get it it either.

The relaxed rules were not the reason for this kyujo, but maybe for the Tagonoura case -  was the oyakata perhaps going out with his girlfriend?

I would not be that affirmative, it only needs one rikishi getting infected at this gathering on the 21st, testing negative on the 25th (good window) then asymptomatically spreading it around, then being negative again by Jan 1st. The fact that Nishikido and Mitoryu were not there does not matter as if they were infected on Dec 21th, it is quite unlikely they would still test positive on Jan 9th. Similarly, the guys that did sumo with kids could have got it and still test positive on both Dec 25th and Jan 9th

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,261]

I've heard that the gov't is going to announce some measures on Friday for Omicron, but then they announced a quasi-state of emergency yesterday. So who knows. Anything could happen from absolutely nothing to no spectators on last two days.

[Asashosakari 18,959]

Kakuryu-oyakata and one unnamed gyoji have tested positive for corona (link). Michinoku-beya is deemed to be in the clear due to no recent close contact to the oyakata, while the gyoji's heya, in which he lives, is quarantined until full testing of all members can be conducted. Both of them found themselves with fever and other cold symptoms this morning.

Edited January 26, 2022 by Asashosakari

[rhyen 1,823]

Since the start of the pandemic, has anyone kept track of the heyas that have positive covid cases.

I know that Miyagino was hit twice.

[rhyen 1,823]

Hooboy. Mitakeumi is feverish.

that means Terunofuji is a really close contact.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4af4bfdcc5eefa679183de54af897774b95cb4e9?fbclid=IwAR3wC70mPjs39p5G4SCxeV36j8azUzgBsRWH3qki9AUyyQk62BmTiFYjDfs

Edited January 31, 2022 by rhyen

[Kintamayama 44,639]

37 minutes ago, rhyen said:

Hooboy. Mitakeumi is feverish.

that means Terunofuji is a really close contact.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4af4bfdcc5eefa679183de54af897774b95cb4e9?fbclid=IwAR3wC70mPjs39p5G4SCxeV36j8azUzgBsRWH3qki9AUyyQk62BmTiFYjDfs

39 degree temperature. He was in close contact at his danpatsushiki and Tochiouzan's as well, with a lot of people and rikishi. "Doing sumo with them doesn't mean he was in close contact with them.. If he was without a mask in the shitakubeya and talked to people, well, we'll have to investigate that, " said Shibatayama. All those who came in contact with him will undergo PCR and antigen tests.

Edited January 31, 2022 by Kintamayama

[Seiyashi 4,072]

On 31/01/2022 at 18:13, rhyen said:

Since the start of the pandemic, has anyone kept track of the heyas that have positive covid cases.

I know that Miyagino was hit twice.

With Herouth's Twitter feed as a handy index (it's easier searching Twitter than the forum, and the Kyokai's oshirase index and site search is woefully incomplete), the following are the cases. Links are assorted links to Kyokai oshirase, various news outlets, and the forum:

1. 2020, Apr 9
   • Undisclosed heya (1 toriteki). First case of COVID in sumo.
2. 2020, Apr 25 - May 13
   • Takadagawa (Takadagawa oyakata, Hakuyozan, and 4 other toriteki. One of them was Shobushi, who later died.
3. 2020, Aug 7
   • Nishonoseki (now Hanaregoma) (Matsugane oyakata, ex-Tamarikido). Caught while out scouting, and discovered due to a private test (NSK mass testing had yet to be put in place).
4. 2020, Aug 14
   • Undisclosed heya (1 toriteki).
5. 2020, Sep 6
   • Undisclosed heya (1 toriteki). Not clear if this was the index case for Tamanoi, given the temporal proximity.
6. 2020, Sep 10
   • Tamanoi: Fujiazuma and 18 other toriteki. This was the first time any rikishi was kyujo from a basho due to COVID precautionary measures, and Aki 2020 saw the first instance of rank freezes for Tamanoi.
   • 5 more tested positive later on, for a total of 24. Tamanoi oyakata (ex Tochiazuma) and Azumaryu were not infected, although Azumaryu later would be (in Apr 2021).
   • Other related kyujo:
     • Matsugane (ex-Tamarikido) and Tokitsukaze (ex-Tokitsuumi) for violating COVID regulations
     • Kimura Konosuke for 1 day, as his wife was using a COVID tracing app and got a possible exposure notice.
7. 2020, Dec 10
   • Undisclosed heya (3 toriteki)
8. 2020, Dec 11
   • Tatsunami (Akua + 6 toriteki). NB: this was after Akua's car got rear-ended by a garbage truck during the November basho.
9. 2020, Dec 12
   • Minato (Minato oyakata). Hospitalisation resulted.
10. 2020, Dec 19
    • Tatsunami (1 toriteki)
11. 2020, Dec 31 - 2021, Jan 1
    • Arashio. First Wakatakakage, then 11 people, including Arashio oyakata (ex-Sokokurai), Wakamotoharu, 8 toriteki and 1 tokoyama. COVID kyujo resulted.
12. 2021, Jan 4
    • Minato (Kimura Motoki). However, contact tracing showed he was not a close contact of the heya, so Minato-beya was not COVID kyujo.
13. 2021, Jan 5
    • Miyagino (Hakuho). COVID kyujo for Hatsu resulted.
14. 2021, Jan 9
    • Kyujo in addition to Arashio and Miyagino above:
      • Tomozuna-beya (1 toriteki positive)
      • Kokonoe-beya (Chiyoshoma and Choyootori positive)
15. 2021, Jan 19-24
    • Kokonoe (Kokonoe oyakata (ex-Chiyotaikai) + 4 toriteki, and then 3 more on 23rd. Kokonoe-oyakata was hospitalised.
16. 2021, Jan 31
    • Undisclosed heya (1 toriteki). May have been a remnant from a December infection (i.e. the Tatsunami case above).
17. 2021, Feb 17-22:
    • Undisclosed heya. 6 cases discovered first, then 8 more. (so which heya has 14 toriteki?)
18. 2021, Mar 11:
    • Onoe (Otowayama oyakata, ex-Tenkaiho)
    • Yamahibiki (Onogawa oyakata, ex-Kitataiki)
    • Related COVID kyujo:
      • Onoe-beya
      • Yamahibiki-beya
      • Oyakata kyujo:
        • NSK YT channel co-hosts: Fujigane oyakata (ex-Daizen) and Takekuma oyakata (ex-Goeido)
        • Social Contribution Department (15 oyakata):
          • Takenawa, ex-Tochinonada; Takasaki, ex-Kinkaiyama; Mihogaseki, ex-Tochisakae; Iwatomo, ex-Kimurayama; Shiranui, ex-Wakakoyu; Onomatsu, ex-Daido; Kumagatani, ex-Tamaasuka; Oshiogawa, ex-Takekaze; Hidenoyama, ex-Kotoshogiku; Tateyama, ex-Homarefuji; Arashio, ex-Sokokurai; Kiyomigata, ex-Tochiozan; Kasugayama, ex-Bushuyama (ex-Bushuyama has since switched to Matsuchiyama after Ikioi retired in June 2021); Kitajin, ex-Shotenro; Izutsu, ex-Toyonoshima
19. 2021, Apr 10-12:
    • Michinoku (first Fukunosato (wakaimonogashira), then 1 toriteki)
20. 2021, Apr 13:
    • Undisclosed heya (1 toriteki)
21. 2021, Apr 16:
    • Undisclosed heya (1 toriteki)
22. 2021, Apr 20:
    • Tamanoi (Azumaryu). He was hospitalised. He still participated in Natsu 2021.
23. 2021, Jul 27-30:
    • Takasago (Takasago oyakata (ex-Asasekiryu), Asanoyama, + 5 toriteki) on 27th. 1 more toriteki on 30th. 1 toriteki was hospitalised.
    • Undisclosed heya (1 toriteki) on 30th
24. 2021, Aug 5:
    • Undisclosed heya (1 toriteki)
25. 2021, Aug 23:
    • Takasago (Rikinojo (yobidashi)).
26. 2021, Aug 28:
    • Minato (Ichinojo). As he tested positive during the pre-banzuke combo practice, all other rikishi who participated were tested, but no other cases resulted.
27. 2021, Sep 3:
    • Oguruma (Nishikikaze (sewanin)). As Nishikikaze was only observing keiko from a distance, wearing a mask, he was not considered a close contact. All the rikishi also tested negative, so no COVID kyujo resulted.
28. 2021, Sep 1-6: 
    • Miyagino (Hokuseiho, then 1 toriteki). COVID kyujo for Aki 2021.
29. 2022, Jan 4:
    • Tagonoura (Tagonoura oyakata, 2 toriteki, and Tokonaru). COVID kyujo for Hatsu 2022.
30. 2022, Jan 10:
    • Nishikido (Nishikido oyakata, ex-Mitoizumi). COVID kyujo for Hatsu 2022, although result was known only 1 day into the basho (so Mitoryu, the sole sekitori, has 0-1-14 as a result).
31. 2022, Jan 26:
    • Michinoku (Kakuryu) and one gyoji, from another unidentified heya (could be Michinoku as well, but my Japanese isn't good enough to parse it for subtleties. On the other hand, if it was Michinoku, they could have just said so, and it's also implied that the rikishi from Michinoku and the gyoji's heya are treated separately, so it's probably not Michinoku). 
32. 2022, Jan 31:
    • Dewanoumi (Mitakeumi). Developing story, especially considering Mitakeumi's exposure to many others during Goeido's and Tochiozan's danpatsu-shiki over the weekend.
      • May have caused:
        • Tokiwayama (Takanosho, Takakeisho, Tokiwayama oyakata)
        • Oitekaze (Daieisho, Tsurugisho, Daiamami, Tobizaru)
        • Kasugano (Aoiyama, Tochinoshin, Kasugano oyakata, Takenawa oyakata, Kiyomigata oyakata)
        • Isegahama (Terunofuji, Midorifuji, Nishikifuji, Takarafuji, Ajigawa oyakata, Tateyama oyakata)
        • Arashio (Kotokuzan, Wakamotoharu, Wakatakakage)
        • Hanaregoma (Ichiyamamoto)
        • Tokitsukaze (Yutakayama, Shodai, Tokitsukaze oyakata)
        • Kise (Tokushoryu, Shimanoumi, Shiden, Churanoumi, Ura, Kise oyakata)
        • Tatsunami (Hoshoryu, Akua, Meisei, Tatsunami oyakata)
        • Shibatayama (Kimura Ginjiro)
        • Kokonoe (Chiyonokuni)
        • Michinoku (Kiribayama, Michinoku oyakata, Urakaze oyakata)
        • Isenoumi (Kabutoyama oyakata, Katsunoura oyakata)
        • Sakaigawa (Hiradoumi, Sakaigawa oyakata)
        • Yamahibiki (Onogawa oyakata)
        • Shikihide (Shikihide oyakata) 

Holy crap. That's a long list. That's a total of at least 17 unique heya hit (over 1/3 the active heya in sumo IIRC), with potentially up to 11 more heya if all the undisclosed heya were unique and didn't overlap with the named heya. Heya that were hit multiple times separately include Michinoku (2x), Minato (3x), Miyagino (2x), Takasago (2x), and Tamanoi (2x).

EDIT: (Feb 2) Now at 20 unique heya, with Tokiwayama, Oitekaze, and Kasugano hit for the first time.

EDIT2: (Feb 4) Arashio and Tatsunami are hit a second time. Isegahama, Hanaregoma, Tokitsukaze, Kise, and Shibatayama join the first timers, for a total of 25 unique heya.

EDIT3: (Feb 9) Michinoku, Kokonoe, Isenoumi, Sakaigawa and Yamahibiki added to the list of afflicted heya. Michinoku, Kokonoe, and Yamahibiki are repeat outbreaks (with Onogawa having gotten it twice), although Michinoku's was in extreme close proximity to Kakuryu's own infection. Isenoumi and Sakaigawa are first-timers. This makes it a total of 27 known unique heya. As of this writing, according to Herouth, that makes it 252 members of the NSK that have tested positive since Hatsu 2022.

EDIT4: (Feb 10) Ura and Hiradoumi, from existing affected heya, added.

EDIT5: Shikihide oyakata enters Shikihide on the list. 

Naturally, if anything has been missed out let me know. Also, not sure if this should be split into its own thread for ease of access, since this corona thread is getting rather long and unwieldy.

Edited February 15, 2022 by Seiyashi